The first shot in this gallery of John hopping in on the shoulder while his coach, Ross Williams, falls in the tube is the best thing we’ve seen today.

During the three week break (one of the longest between CT stops on tour) the rest of the top 34 fraternized amongst the world. Mick Fanning and friends did Octoberfest, Kolohe Andino (featured in this gallery) spray painted his boards in an ode to his most influential surfers, then there was Mr Florence. All we could find of the enigmatic surfer were shots from our dear friend Laserwolf featuring reigning world champ turning Rocky Point lips into proverbial mincemeat.

“It all started yesterday morning,” photographer Martxel Txintxurreta tells Stab. “I was heading to Hossegor from my home in Hondarribia, Basque Country and I sent a message via Instagram to one of the closest friends of John John (Erik Knutson) to ask if they were going to the beach. Once in La Graviere he told me they weren’t going to surf yet, and asked me how the waves looked like and I sent him some videos. Suddenly, they appeared.”

“I got where they were filming and after greeting Erik and Koa Smith – who didn’t surf this session – I got in the water and started shooting. I’ve only been shooting from the water for a year and a half, this three-hour session shooting John, Ross and Kolohe was like a master class in taking water shots.”